Two years late....V22 Osprey is bassed on the german NAZI Weserflug P.1003/1 Check the SUPER HUMANS german aircrafts, and compare with the prehisthoric American technology.http://www.luft46.com/misc/wes1003.html

Something about the V-22 they don't mention:

The rotors are too large to take off and land the craft in Aeroplane mode (as opposed to Heli [vertical] mode). However, if in an emergency they need to land it in aeroplane mode, the rotors are made of a special composite that disintegrate on contact with the ground and leave no permanent damage to the aircraft other than the wrecked rotor.

Bell also also produces a non-military, smaller commercial version of the basic tilt rotor craft. I believe it may be a 4~8 seater (?)

I am waiting for the ultralight version to come out before I attempt to build one from a kit.

Soyuz TMA-2 approaching the International Space Station for space randevouz and docking (April 28th, 2003; Low Earth Orbit with a 6775km semi-major axis, an equatorial-relative inclination of 51,5 degrees and an earth-relative eccentricity of 0.0007)

Soyuz TMA-2 approaching the International Space Station for space randevouz and docking (April 28th, 2003; Low Earth Orbit with a 6775km semi-major axis, an equatorial-relative inclination of 51,5 degrees and an earth-relative eccentricity of 0.0007)

EXCELLENT pics from our Russian comrades in Mother Caucasia... Thanks for the post.

Soyuz might be the current state of the art launch vehicle, but it's also right to remember it's predecesors; the brave astronauts and cosmonauts that "Made the first steps in this new ocean" (JFK) and the machines that took them there:

The launch of Vostok I, the first manned spaceflight, on the April 12th 1961, 06:07 UTC

The launch of the first manned suborbital test of the American Mercury spacecraft, Freedom-7, on the May 5th 1961, at 14:49 UTC

The launch of the first American orbital manned flight, Friendship-7, on the February 20th 1962, at 14:47 UTC

A photo taken by astronaut John Glenn, the Friendship-7 pilot, from Low Earth Orbit:

Aleksei Leonov performing the first EVA (Extra-Vehicular activity;"spacewalk"), on the Voskhod 2 mission, on March 18th 1965, at 08:34 UTC

The first spacewalk concluded the era of russian "space firsts". Since the 3rd june of 1965 and to this day, the United States of America remains the country with the most advanced spacefaring technology and the richest space history. Mercury flew into the new ocean only two years after the russian Vostok soared into it, but while the Gemini was launched "on the shoulders of Titans" (Titan II was the Gemini launcher) after the Russian "Voskhod" 3-man missions, it managed to achieve some historical records (notably, the first space randevouz and the first space randevouz and docking) before the Russians did.

Ed White Performing the first american EVA (Extra-Vehicular activity;"spacewalk"), on the Gemini 4 mission, June 3rd 1965

The first space randevouz: Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 station-keeping in Low Earth Orbit. Neither of the spacecraft had docking mechanism installed and no physical contact took place, but the spacecraft got as close as 30cm (1 foot) to each other, prooving that space randevouz and docking (which was required for later apollo lunar missions) IS possible. The two spacecraft were station-keeping from December 15th 1965, 19:33 UTC until December 16th 1965, 00:52 UTC.

The first space randevouz and docking: Gemini 8 aligning with the Agena target vehicle, preparing to dock with it. The contact was confirmed on March 16th 1966, at 22:14 UTC.

Neil Armstrong, The Gemini 8 Commander-pilot was later assigned to be the commander of the first lunar landing mission, Apollo 11, due to bravery and skill displayed in this mission; once the two spacecraft docked, they started spinning wildly due to a guidance system malfunction. After unsucesfull attempts to stop the rotation and while suffering from severe vertigo, Armstrong undocked from the Agena target vehicle, stopped the spinning of his Gemini spacecraft and managed an emergency landing 1 orbit sooner than planned.

When a B-1 bomber landed on Diego Garcia, it's landing gear failed, leaving the bomber largely intact, but blocking the main runway. This cut back on heavy bomber support for troops in Afghanistan. This is how navy and air force engineers get the B-1 up and off the air strip in less than three days........